Front load refuse collection vehicles are in wide use in large-scale residential refuse collection. A front load refuse collection vehicle typically has a front cab, a large refuse collection compartment or cavity behind the cab having an upper opening for receiving refuse, and a pair of hydraulic-powered lift arms that carry forks that extend in front of the vehicle, the forks being adapted to be inserted into corresponding slots or sleeves (also sometimes called fork pockets or fork apertures) associated with an intermediate portable refuse collection container. The forks are able to lift the refuse container over the front of the vehicle and invert the container to dump its contents into the refuse compartment or body located behind the cab. For purposes of this description, the general term fork “receiver” will be used to refer fork-receiving sleeves, slots, pockets, apertures and other structures associated with a container for cooperating with the forks to allow lifting and inversion of the container.
For residential and small-scale refuse collection, the collection container is carried in front of the collection vehicle as it moves along the street. The contents of smaller residential collection carts (i.e., “primary” refuse collection containers) are first dumped into the intermediate collection container to fill the intermediate container, and the intermediate container is then inverted to dump its contents into a larger collection bin behind the vehicle cab.
Typically a hydraulic cart lifter is mounted to the intermediate collection container to grasp and invert the residential collection cart to dump its contents into the intermediate container. Hydraulic lifters also have been mounted to the intermediate collection container in a manner so that the lifter can be moved laterally relative to the intermediate container into engagement with the residential refuse cart for curb-side collection, without requiring the operator to move the refuse receptacle to the lifter. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,484,245; 5,639,201; 5,797,715; and 6,139,244, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference, illustrate such arrangements. The present application is directed presents a new and unique arrangement, offering particular versatility for emptying, intermediate containers not found on prior systems.